Bittersweet Memory
by SirPenguin
Summary: On a winter night, Jack Frost reminisces on his time with a certain viking. [One-Shot]


**Disclaimer: I don't own How To Train Your Dragon or Rise of the Guardians.**

Whopping in delight, Jack soared through the air, twisting and turning while covering the town of Burgess in a white blanket of snow. The flurry of snowflakes made it hard to see as clearly as he would have liked, but he could still see well enough. Taking a moment to admire his work, the frost spirit grinned. Jamie had better appreciate what he did for him; the kid was definitely getting a snow day.  
His grin slowly faded to a wry smile as his eyes scanned the snow barren town. The sight tugged at his memory, reminding him of a place very dear to him. A place that snowed nine months out of the year. The place where he met his best friend. If he closed his eyes, Jack could almost see the small viking boy sitting beside him.

___ "Want to go for a ride?"_

___ Jack opened his eyes, smirking at the viking. "Race you to the cove?"_

___ Hiccup rubbed the back of his neck, blushing slightly and averting his green eyes. "Maybe you can come and fly on Toothless?"_

___ The frost spirit frowned. "You do know I can fly," he pointed out._

___ "Yes, but you've never flown on a dragon." Hiccup climbed onto the Night Fury. "Completely different. Plus, you could fly with...me," he added nervously as if he hadn't planned for the words to come out at all._

___ Grinning mischievously, Jack pulled himself up behind the boy, ignoring the angry snarls or the dragon and wrapped his arms around the viking. "Better, dragon boy?"_

___ Flushing slightly, he peered at the frost spirit over his shoulder. "Very much so. Let's go, buddy." The Night Fury launched into the air without further coaxing._

Hiccup was right; there was nothing like sitting atop a creature of legend and taking to the sky. Though the lasting impression may have something to do with the boy he clung on to so fiercely. What he wouldn't give to fly with his friends (yes friends, he missed the annoying lizard too) again, but he knew it was impossible. Sighing, he lowered himself to Jamie's roof and looked up at the sky. He was a Guardian now; he was believed in-he should be happy. Well he was, but there was still the pain his little viking friend left behind.

___ Hiccup finished his story, glancing expectantly at Jack. The spirit was almost shaking with excitement. "Hic, that's amazing!"_

___ He shrugged his words off. "Not really. It was mostly Toothless."_

___ "Are you kidding?" Jack all but shouted. "You saved everyone. You battled a giant dragon!" Dropping to the ground in front of him, Jack leaned down so they were nose to nose. "I wish I could have seen that."_

___ Shifting uncomfortably, the viking put distance between the two. "What about you? I'm sure you have better stories," he said with an uneasy grin._

___ Jack's smile fell. "I would tell you if I knew."_

___ An awkward silence settled over them before Hiccup ruffled the spirit's snowy hair. "When you remember, I'd love to hear them."_

"Hiccup," Jack sighed. He missed the way his friend blushed and stuttered. The way he had a come-back for almost everything he said. Pulling up his hood, he leaned on his staff. He had become so used to having the boy by his side that even centuries later, he still found himself reaching for him only to curse his foolishness. No matter how many times he hoped or prayed or screamed at the moon, his friends wasn't going to come back. He wasn't sure he would ever get used to the absence of heat by his side that kept him warm in ways he hadn't thought was possible.

___ "Let go of me, you useless icicle," the viking boy surreptitiously pushed at the spirits arms. "People are watching."_

___ Jack chuckled. "They can't even see me, Hic."_

___ Hiccup rolled his eyes. "Who cares if everyone will think I'm crazy? As long as they can't see you." He slapped at Jack's hands that were resting on his hips._

___ "Who are you talking to?"_

___ The viking jumped in Jack's arms. "H-hey Astrid. How's it going?"_

___ She scowled at him. "Who are you talking to?" she demanded again._

___ He froze for a second before looking over at the Night Fury. "I'm talking to Toothless." He turned to his dragon, patting his friend on the head. "Nice flying, buddy," he choked out._

___ Jack snorted._

___ "And why are you squirming?"_

___ Leaning forward, Jack bit the edge of Hiccup's ear. The viking yelped in surprise. "I'm just so excited about this new trick Toothless and I have been practising!"_

___ Shaking her head and giving Hiccup a glare that he knew meant she was on to him, she walked back to Stormfly. "I should use your little stick for fire wood," he hissed, batting at Jack's arms while the spirit just laughed._

___ "You know you love me."_

___ Hiccup rolled his eyes. "More than you would ever know, you special little snowflake you," was the dry reply._

Maybe, Jack thought glumly, he would have been able to move on if he had more time with the boy. He almost laughed at that; no amount of time would be enough for him if it meant he would have to lose Hiccup. There was something about the freckled boy with the crooked grin that drew the frosty haired boy in and he had never wanted to let him go.

___ "What are you doing?" Jack asked with amusement colouring his features._

___ Hiccup shifted uncomfortably. "Stop talking for just a minute. Do you think you can handle that, Frosti?"_

___ Sighing in defeat, Jack let his eyes slip shut and waited for...what exactly? Faintly he could hear Hiccup muttering to himself, trying to urge himself on. "I'm waiting."_

___ The viking ignored him, continuing to murmur and shift back and forth on his feet. He caught a few whispered words in the jumbled mess Hiccup was spewing. "...have to try...I'll never know...just a talking fish bone..."_

___ He was about to open his mouth and ask Hiccup just what exactly he was doing when he felt warm breath tickle his nose. His eyes snapped open just in time to see Hiccup lean forward the last few inches and close the distance between them._

The bitter-sweet memory had Jack smiling to himself. If it wasn't for Hiccup they would have probably just stayed friends and he would have had a lot more regrets weighting him down over the centuries. At least he could tell the boy just how he felt before he...

Shaking his head, Jack found himself floating through the open window into Jamie's room, and helping him and his sister into bed as nightfall came. "Tell us a story," Sophie insisted.

Jamie was almost bouncing with excitement. "Yeah Jack, tell us a story!"

Giving a dramatic sigh, Jack perched himself on top of his staff. "I suppose I could." He paused for a second before a slow smile spread across his face. There was one story that needed to be told. A story that circled his mind year after year at a dizzying pace. "This story takes place on an island called Berk. It's twelve days north of Hopeless, and a few degrees south of Freezing to Death. There, in a sturdy village, lived the greatest viking who ever lived. His name was Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III..."

******It's short and kind of crappy, but I made an attempt. Also, I apologize if any character is OOC, I tried to avoid that, though I'm not sure how well I did.**


End file.
